Combined salt and pepper box.



No. 667,655. Patented Feb. 5, |90I. M.' V. B. GRUSH.

I, COMBINED SALT AND PEPPER BOX.

(Application med Juzge, 1900.) (N o M od e I.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 667,655. Patented Feb. 5, |90I.

M. V. B. GRUSH. CMBINED SALT AND PEPPER BOX.

(Application -Ied June 2, 1900.)

2 Shee'tv-Sheet 2.

(Nn Model.)

MJ A from/Ens IINTTnn STATns ATnNT Trice'.

MARTIN V. B. GRUSH, OF BALDWIN, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANKLIN FREESE, OF SAME PLACE;

COlVlBlNED SALT AND PEPPER BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,655, dated February l5, 190i.

Application filed June 2, 1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that l, MARTIN V. B. GRUsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baldwin, in the county of Allen, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Salt and Pepper Box; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in combined salt and pepper boxes.

The object of my present invention is to provide a combined salt and pepper box ofcheap and simple construction and efficient and reliable operation from which either salt or pepper can be conveniently shaken or distributed at the pleasure of the operator.

The novel feature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the spring-controlled plungers and the screwthreaded lid having a separated central plate through which the plu ngers pass, and thereby permit the removal or replacing of the screwthreaded lid without disturbing the relative fixed position of the said plungers.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference-numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a perspective view of my invention in condition for use, showing the protruding ends of the plungers passing through the two-part lid. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the lid removed, but having a removable circular plate in position upon the top of the said partition. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same with this circular plate removed and showing the said partition and the transversely-mounted plungers. Fig. a is a detail side view of the said plungers and of the transverse supporting-plate in which they are mounted. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of the receptacle with plungers removed, showing the openings through which the contents of the receptacle are distributed. Fig. 6 is a detail of the said longitudinal partition, showing the vertical longitudinal slot in which the plunger-supporting Serial No. 18,826. (No model.)

plate rests. Fig. 7 is a transverse central' plungers in their different positions in use.

Fig. ll is a top view of the lower end of one of the said plungers in cross-section on the line a; a; of Fig. l0.

All parts of my improvement are made of suitable metal, though the cylindrical receptacle itself may be made of glass, if desired. This cylindrical vessel l has its bottom 2 vprovided with a pair of circular openings 3, Fig. 5, and is also provided with a fixed diametric longitudinal partition 4t, which divides the interior of the vessel l into two equal compartments, one compartment being designed for salt and the other one for pepper. This partit-ion e has at its upper end a longitudinal slot 5 midway of its sides, for the purpose hereinafter described, and also has small longitudinal recesses 6 at its upper corners, Fig. 6.

A plate 7, Fig. 4, is provided at each end with a pair of apertured lugs in vertical alinemen't in which the feeding-plungers 9 are loosely mounted. These vertically-movable plungers are provided at their lower ends with" a spiral groove 10, which aids in loosening upand distributing the contents of the saidl apartments. The lower ends of the said plungers have a terminal circular plate ll, adapted to normally close the said respective openings 3 in the bottom of the receptacle by being seated in said openings flush with the lower face of the said bottom 2, Fig. 9. These plates l1 are rigidly secured in position by means of a pin 25, Fig. l0, or other proper manner. These plungers?) have each a fixed diametric pin l2,against which the upper ends of the spiral springs 13 bear, respectively, their lower ends bearing against the upper face of the lower lugs 8. This plate 7 is adapt- IOO VIO

ed to be snugly but removably mounted in the slot 5 of said plate 4, transversely thereof, and is rigidly secured in such position by the iXed transverse pins 14, Figs?, and 1L, which are arranged on both sides of the said partition 4 when the plate 7 is` in position.` The plungers 9 are thus normally held in the position shown in Fig. by the said coil-springs 13.

I have shown two forms of removable lid in Figs. 7 and 8. In the form shown in Fig. 7 the lid 15 has its pendent annular flange 16 screw-threaded on its outer face and adapted to form a screw-threaded connection with the upper end of the vessel. To the lower face of the lid 15 is riveted an annular plate 18. The'said lid has a large circular opening which is closed by a circular plate 17, rotatably mounted therein, as follows: The lower face of the inner edge of the lid has an annular recess adapted to loosely contain a corresponding annular flange 19 on the said plate 17, Fig. 7. This circular plate has circular openings 20 for the respective plungers. Another circular plate 21, Fig. 2, having openings coincident with those of the said plate 17, may be loosely mounted on said plungers and adapted to rest on the said plate 7, though this plate 21 is not material to the successful use of my improvement. The said recesses 6 permit the screw-threaded flange of the lid to t within the receptacle-top.

In that form of lid shown in Fig. 8 the rotatable plate 17 is omitted and the lid formed of but two parts, a dat circular plate 22, having` openings for the plungers and loosely mounted on the top of the said receptacle 1, and an annular internallyscrewthreaded portion 23, provided with an inwardly-projecting flange 2li overlapping the edge of the said plate 22. In this form of lid the top of the receptacle 1 should be externally instead of internally screw-threaded.

The operation of my improvement thus described is, brieliy stated, as follows: When the compartments of the receptacle 1 have been properly filled, the operator compresses rapidly several times that one of the said plungers 9 which corresponds to the chamber whose contents are desired, thereby distrib- .uting the same through the openings made by the spiral grooves 10. The plungers may be properly colored to enable the operator to determine which compartment contains the contents desired. The lower ends of the said plungers normally snugly close the said openings 3 in the bottom of the receptacle, thereby preventing any leakage of the contents, and when the pressure of the finger is removed from the top of the plungers their respective coil-springs 13 will promptly return them to their normal position. The lid in either form shown is easily removed for refilling and tightly closes the receptacle against the intrusion of impurities. V

My improvement is thus cheap, simple, eficient, and sanitary in use and can readily be carried, as in camping out and the like, without leakage of its contents.

Having thus described my invention and the manner of employing the same, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A combined salt and pepper box having a longitudinal diametric partition slotted as shown, and plunger-openings in the bottom of the box; a plunger plate transversely mounted in the slotted end of said partition, and provided upon its opposite ends with apertured coincident lugs in which the feedingplungers are loosely mounted; plungers loosely mounted in said lugs, and having retractile springs and spiral feeding-grooves, and provided with terminal annular plates adapted to normally close said openings; a removable two-part lid, consisting ofy inner and outer concentric portions, the outer portion being adapted for a screw-threaded connection Withthe said receptacle, and the inner portion being rotatably mounted in the said outer portion and provided with plungeropenings.

2.` A combined salt and pepper boX consisting of a cylindrical receptacle closed by a twopart circular lid, consisting of inner and outer concentric portions, the inner portion being rotatably mounted in the said outer portion and provided with plunger-openings, and the outer portion being adapted for a screwthreaded connection with the said receptacle whose bottom is provided with two plungeropenings; a longitudinal partition separating theinterior of the receptacle into two compartments, and having a longitudinal slot in its upper end; a plunger-supporting plate removably mounted in the said slot as shown; a pair of spring-retracted vertical plungers loosely mounted in suitable bearings in said plate having spiral feeding-grooves; a terminal circular plate normally closing said plunger-openings; and the said two-part circular lid.

3. A vessel of the class described having plunger-openings in its bottom and a central longitudinal partition vertically slotted at its upper end; a supporting plate or bracket removably mounted in said slot in transverse relation to said partition; a pair of springretracted plungers loosely mounted in said bracket and having spiral feeding-grooves and terminal circular plates adapted to normally close the said plunger-openings by being seated within the same; and a two-part lid consisting of inner and outer concentric portions in rotatable relation, its inner portion having openings for the protruding ends of the plungers and its outer portion being adapted'fora screw-threaded connection with said vessel.

4t. The combination of a vessel of the class described having its bottom provided with outlet-openings and a lid having a circular central portion in rotatable relation with an inclosing annular portion and provided with IOO IIO

vertical openings for the purpose specified; Signed by me at Fort Wayne, in the county' and a pair of spring-retracted plungers proof Allen and State of Indiana, this 31st day truding through said openings, having spiral of May, A. D. 1900.

feeding-grooves, and provided at their lower MARTIN V. B. GRUSH. 5 ends with terminal circular plates normally Witnesses:

resting in the outlet-openings and closing the ADELAIDE KEARNS,

same. ALICE KEARNs. 

